Month: October 2016

This is going to be a very short post with a short, yet specific point and that is this: WALK!

Walking is beneficial on many, many levels and I think everyone should engage in it daily. To make life easier and my point more impactual, let me break it down for you. On average, most people are awake 15 hours each day. If one were to walk approximately 6 minutes each hour that would be 90 minutes of activity per day. Depending on stride length and pace/speed, most people will probably walk about 80-100 steps per minute. Therefore, in an hour you could, in all practicality, walk 480-600 steps. Multiply that by 15 hours per day and that will yield you approximately 7,200 – 9,000 steps each day. Not bad!

If your unable to walk that much in a day, start out slowly but be consistent. Even if you get a few thousand steps a day, it’s better than not. Each week add 5% to your previous total so you are progressive in your efforts. Invest in a Fitbit, walk with a friend or family member, walk at lunch time, before/after work, weekends, etc., etc. but do yourself a favor and get walking!

Like this:

Homeopathy – which has been known to medicine for over 400 years and founded by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann – is based on likes curing likes and the body healing itself. With the following remedy, you will have a simple, inexpensive and safe approach to helping prevent the flu for the whole family.

To prevent the flu this season, get the homeopathic remedies Arsenicum Album (30C strength) or higher and Influenzinum (30C strength) or higher in potency. Both of which can probably be found at your local grocery or health store and definitely online. The average cost for these remedies is about $5-6 and will last you for years.

Take a plastic throw-away bottle with a cap and without touching the pellet, put one of each in 8oz water. Allow the pellets to dissolve and keep refrigerated. Once a week, shake up the bottle 3-4 times, pour some of the remedy in the water bottle cap and pour in your mouth. That’s it. If you are exposed to someone with the flu, take one dose daily for 5 days to help ward off catching their bug. Here are some guidelines to follow:

*Take 20 minutes from food and one hour from coffee.

*If the stomach flu is going around add Nux Vomica 30C or higher to the bottle.

In addition, adults are recommended to take an additional Vitamin D3 1-2000 IU per day.

Like this:

Sunday is the only day of the week that I get a chance to actually prepare, sit and eat breakfast. Sunday breakfast is a big meal, in fact, it’s a huge meal for me because it comes after a 20+ mile ride on the bike or a longer run for me. I burn a bunch of calories during my activities and I need to replenish myself with nutrients to recover. I like oatmeal – a lot – so this is the perfect day for me to make a big bowl to enjoy.

Note: I am not going to give measurements for two reasons. Reason #1) I never measure anything 🙂 and reason #2) everyone has different caloric needs and you should judge how much of these ingredients you use accordingly.

So, here are the ingredients and how I prepare my mega-meal:

In boiling water I add organic frozen fruit. I like any kind of fruit but usually use strawberries, blueberries and bananas. Next I add some cinnamon, vanilla extract, pinch of salt and some grass-fed butter and let it all marry together until the fruit has softened up. I then put in the organic oatmeal and when it’s almost completely cooked I whisk in two whole organic eggs. I keep whisking until the eggs take on a milky white color – similar to the consistency of egg drop soup. I then pour the oatmeal mixture in a bowl and top off with some hemp seeds, organic cream and a little organic sugar. I mix everything thoroughly and that is breakfast.

Now, I said it was my mega-meal breakfast and I know I didn’t give any measurements in my description but trust me, this is one big-ass bowl of food and it thoroughly hits the spot.

Like this:

OK, I have to ask…how many of you started singing Supertramp’s version of “Give a Little Bit”? Sorry, but this has nothing to do with the 70’s rock band and more about you helping others. See, there are many people today in need of necessities such as food, clothing and shelter, but you already knew that. It’s an extremely difficult state for many folks, but at least there is something we can do to help alleviate this unfortunate situation. For instance, twice a year I run a clothes drive at my studio. I ask clients to bring in clothing they no longer use or want and then turn over the clothing to local NPO’s or churches to take and distribute to the local community. The generosity and care of my clients is incredible to say the least and we gather quite a bit of clothing each and every time.

In addition to collecting clothes I feel that donating to the local foodbank is very important as well. Collecting non-perishables or donating extra money at local food stores goes a very long way. It’s amazing that $30 can provide 90 meals and even a few dollars can go a long way. Wegman’s does a tremendous job of champion a fund raiser for the holiday season by allowing you to either donate $1, $3 or $5 dollars at check out or “round up” your total (for example, if your total is $43.05 you can round your total to$45 and the $1.95 goes to the foodbank). So folks, if you are able to help out, even in the slightest way, do so, you will help others in need and feel pretty good for stepping up.

Fred Fornicola

Share this:

Like this:

I’m sitting here, racking my brain, trying to think of a topic to write about that readers might find interesting with the hopes of it having a positive impact on their health and honestly, right now, I’m coming up with nothing. I’m guessing that after 18 years of writing what has amounted to hundreds of articles and 40 years in the field of health and fitness, penning another article right now seems to be way too redundant for me….and probably you too. With the endless and constant stream of information on the web today it’s impossible not to see the same things over and over again. That’s not to say that in the future I won’t try yet again to make a point or have other posts from special folks such as trainer, Vicki Albano and nutritionist, Tom Mantos, but at this very moment, I’m stepping off my soap box and taking a rest. I’m resting because now, it’s your turn. It’s your turn to take all that information and do something with it. Maybe you can figure it all out on your own, maybe you need some assistance. Maybe you are happy and status quo is good enough, whatever the decision, the choice is yours and the consequences are yours. But either way, it’s your turn.

Share this:

Like this:

Fall is about to show us how lovely it is to let go of things that no longer serve us. If you pay close attention to nature, it has a way of showing us that the simplest things can have profound effects. As the seasons change and fall comes into full swing, it is a perfect time to let go of past habits that no longer serve us. We should let them fall off as easy as the leaves fall off the trees. Autumn is also a great time to reflect inward and not only consider what we need to let go of but also what we need to add into our lives to create balance in the same way nature finds its balance. One thing that helps is spending time in nature, and now is one of the most beautiful times of year to be outside. Fall brings us crisp air, the smell of the earth, pumpkins, hot apple cider, beautiful colors, cozy sweaters…all of this fills our senses with comfort which makes it a great time of year to go for long hikes or walks where we are surrounded by trees.

Listen to what your body needs to let go of and what it needs to take in. Maybe you’ll come to the realization that you need to eliminate certain foods, add some meditation to you health program or whatever it is your body and your intuition will tell you. Just slow down, become quiet and listen….and walking in nature is one way to do this.

No matter what your fitness level, walking is something most anyone can do and everyone should do. A great place in Monmouth County to go for a walk this time of year is the Manasquan Reservoir. It is a great outdoor area where you can enjoy a nice brisk walk on the five-mile path of a nicely wooded area surrounding the reservoir. Let your eyes soak in the beautiful colors, let your nose enjoy the delicious smell of the crisp air and trees, let you skin feel the breezes that come off the water and spend the time to clear your head and let your soul be happy.